"...the subject which will be of most importance politically is Mass Psychology. ... The populace will not be allowed to know how its convictions were generated. ... As yet there is only one country which has succeeded in creating this politician’s paradise.” - Bertrand Russell, The Impact of Science on Society, 1960.

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Eugene Carmen Renzi, 74, a retired Army major general who became an executive with ManTech International, a national security technology firm, died of cancer Feb. 9 at his home in North Springfield.

Gen. Renzi served 32 years in the Army, including two tours in Vietnam, before retiring in 1990. Among his numerous assignments, he served as deputy chief of staff for operations and plans for the U.S. Army Communications Command in Fort Huachuca, Ariz.; director of Defense Communications Systems in Washington; and director for command and control and communication systems for the U.S. Pacific Command at Camp H.M. Smith in Hawaii.

In 1993, he became a senior executive vice president at ManTech International. Three years later, he became president of ManTech Telecommunications and Information Systems. In 2004, he became the group president of ManTech Defense Systems Group.

At ManTech International, he managed corporate business development related to defense communications activities that span six continents and support U.S. military efforts around the world.

Gen. Renzi was born in East Boston, Mass., and grew up there and in Watertown, Mass., where he held records in high school football, track and field. He also was inducted into the Watertown High School Athletic Hall of Fame.

He received a bachelor's degree in business administration in 1957 and a master's degree in education in 1966, both from Northeastern University. He was captain of the undefeated Northeastern University Huskies football team in 1956 and 1957 and was inducted into the Northeastern Sports Hall of Fame in 1986.

He was drafted by the Chicago Cardinals and played for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. He attended the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College in 1970 and the National War College in 1979.

He was a decorated veteran of Vietnam, where he served as a captain in 1970 and a major in 1972. His honors included the Distinguished Service Medal, Defense Superior Service Medal with oak leaf clusters, Legion of Merit with oak leaf clusters and Bronze Star Medal with oak leaf clusters.

After his Army retirement, Gen. Renzi served as vice president of resource development at the United Way of America in Alexandria for a year and then became vice president of programs for the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association. He was chairman of the board of directors of the electronics association from 2003 to 2006. He was also board chairman of the United States-Panama Business Association from 1999 to 2008. He served as commissioner of Youth Football in Virginia in the 1970s.

His wife, Faye Marie Renzi, whom he married in 1957, died in 1986.

Survivors include five children, U.S. Rep. Rick Renzi of Flagstaff, Ariz., Robert L. Renzi of Flushing, N.Y., Ronald P. Renzi of Leesburg, Regina M. James of Ashburn and Ralph D. Renzi of Springfield; two brothers; a long-time companion, Stephanie Gaskill of New Orleans, Mass.; and 23 grandchildren.